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malsperanzaYep, again. And of course have been chosen for a jury (again). I must have a demeanor that appeals to trial attorneys. Do I look exceptionally manipulable, perhaps?Gullible, persuadable? My face a tabula rasa?
This time, though, it's civil court, not criminal. Less interesting, though also a bit less burdensome, civic-responsibilitywise.
Spent Wednesday not being impaneled at all. Had dutifully brought big stack of galleys to check, important ms. to review, etc. Read NY Times for first hour, then traded it with fellow waiting juror who had just finished the second Bridget Jones book, which I had never read.
Not as funny as the first one, as is a rather-too-obvious reworking of Jane Austen's Persuasion, meant to be clever, a la Clueless, but instead merely derivative, but I still managed to spend most of the day reading it, in best Bridget Jones manner, and getting no work done.
Have naturally now acquired the addictive Bridget Jones writing style, consisting of lists, shortage of personal pronouns, overuse of the phrases "in manner of" and "or similar," and tendency to spell things with an extra "u."
Was half an hour late to jury duty yesterday, but still got impaneled immediately, and spent all day in voir dire. So no work done. Am v. good Bridget Jones mimic. Am taking my role seriously.
Pros of being a juror:
1) Civic duty.
2) Much fodder for Great American Novel. Cross-section of Humanity (well, if humanity defined as People Who Live in Manhattan). Six million stories in the Naked City. Voir dire always turns up many intriguing snapshots of Other People's Lives. Which are always more interesting than they first appear. Will take many notes.
3 ) E.g., retired postal clerk with Irish name and strong New Yawk accent who, during a break, turned to the Chinese-American gentleman sitting next to him and began chatting in fluent Cantonese. Would v. much like to know story behind this. Regrettably, he was not selected for jury, so n.g.
4) Civil-court jury pool has better kitschy 1930s murals than criminal-court jury pool. Also, they seem to have improved access to coffee.
5) Lunch in Chinatown every day! Yum!
6) One of the attorneys is British and his first name is Cosmo. This is v.g., as is in keeping with general Bridget Jones theme.
7) It's a civil case: they will probably settle before we deliberate.
Cons of being a juror:
1) As usual, It Couldn't Come at a Worse Time, workwise
2) Coffee to which access has been improved is terrible.
3) Chinatown v. dangerous place to be near every day, as provides much opportunity for inexpensive shopping and impulse buying, e.g., bubble tea in strange flavours; horrifying gelatious sweets in neon colours.
4) Performing civic duty makes one unbearably smug.
5) It's a civil case: they will probably settle before we deliberate.
This time, though, it's civil court, not criminal. Less interesting, though also a bit less burdensome, civic-responsibilitywise.
Spent Wednesday not being impaneled at all. Had dutifully brought big stack of galleys to check, important ms. to review, etc. Read NY Times for first hour, then traded it with fellow waiting juror who had just finished the second Bridget Jones book, which I had never read.
Not as funny as the first one, as is a rather-too-obvious reworking of Jane Austen's Persuasion, meant to be clever, a la Clueless, but instead merely derivative, but I still managed to spend most of the day reading it, in best Bridget Jones manner, and getting no work done.
Have naturally now acquired the addictive Bridget Jones writing style, consisting of lists, shortage of personal pronouns, overuse of the phrases "in manner of" and "or similar," and tendency to spell things with an extra "u."
Was half an hour late to jury duty yesterday, but still got impaneled immediately, and spent all day in voir dire. So no work done. Am v. good Bridget Jones mimic. Am taking my role seriously.
Pros of being a juror:
1) Civic duty.
2) Much fodder for Great American Novel. Cross-section of Humanity (well, if humanity defined as People Who Live in Manhattan). Six million stories in the Naked City. Voir dire always turns up many intriguing snapshots of Other People's Lives. Which are always more interesting than they first appear. Will take many notes.
3 ) E.g., retired postal clerk with Irish name and strong New Yawk accent who, during a break, turned to the Chinese-American gentleman sitting next to him and began chatting in fluent Cantonese. Would v. much like to know story behind this. Regrettably, he was not selected for jury, so n.g.
4) Civil-court jury pool has better kitschy 1930s murals than criminal-court jury pool. Also, they seem to have improved access to coffee.
5) Lunch in Chinatown every day! Yum!
6) One of the attorneys is British and his first name is Cosmo. This is v.g., as is in keeping with general Bridget Jones theme.
7) It's a civil case: they will probably settle before we deliberate.
Cons of being a juror:
1) As usual, It Couldn't Come at a Worse Time, workwise
2) Coffee to which access has been improved is terrible.
3) Chinatown v. dangerous place to be near every day, as provides much opportunity for inexpensive shopping and impulse buying, e.g., bubble tea in strange flavours; horrifying gelatious sweets in neon colours.
4) Performing civic duty makes one unbearably smug.
5) It's a civil case: they will probably settle before we deliberate.
